When textiles, such as clothing, linens and the like, are laundered, it is typically desired that wrinkles be eliminated or minimized after the cleaning and drying process. Mechanical wrinkle reduction techniques, such as heat and pressure (for example, ironing), have been used but can be time consuming and inconvenient.
Known attempts to reduce wrinkles by means of chemical ingredients in the wash include the use of zwitterionic surfactants, amnosilicones, curable aminosilicones, cellulase enzymes and alkyl amides. However, each of these ingredients have one or more drawbacks. For example, zwitterionic surfactants are believed to work best in cold water. Aminosilicones can cause yellowing and can be difficult to formulate. Curable aminosilicones require the heat of an iron to reduce wrinkles. Cellulase enzymes generally require several wash cycles before anti-wrinkle benefits become noticeable. Alkyl amides are not very effective relative to other wrinkle reducing agents.
Liquid fabric softeners have been sold commercially since the late 1950""s. They are preferably formulated to provide softening and fragrance benefits to fabrics (primarily cottons and cotton blends) when used in the rinse cycle of a washing machine. Liquid fabric softeners are generally formulated by making an aqueous dispersion of one or more cationic surfactants in water. The cationic surfactants are typically quarternized organonitrogen compounds that contain one or more, preferably two, long carbon chains attached to one or more nitrogen atoms. This material provides the primary softening benefit by depositing from the rinse solution onto the fabrics. Additional materials typically used in these formulations include preservatives, pH control agents, viscosity modifying salts, perfumes, optical brighteners, colorants and color care agents.
By purchasing and using liquid fabric softeners, the consumer is clearly interested in achieving fabric care benefits over and above those provided by known laundry detergents. Because wrinkles are generally undesirable, a liquid fabric softener that also decreases or eliminates wrinkles would be a welcomed additional benefit.
Therefore, there is a need and perceived benefit for an effective and efficient means for eliminating or reducing wrinkles in textiles. To be effective and efficient, the ingredient should preferably work across a broad range of water temperatures, not require the use of an iron, have little to no discoloration effect on the laundered item and/or provide a noticeable wrinkle reducing benefit after relatively few wash cycles.
Consumer products are also available that deliver softening and static control benefits in the dryer. Typically, these are in the form of fabric dryer sheets and are available under the tradenames Snuggle (Unilever) and Downy (Procter and Gamble). While these products deliver desired benefits, additional benefits, such as wrinkle reduction would also be desirable.
Therefore, there is also a need for wrinkle reducing agents that can deliver such benefits from dryer sheets.
The present application relates to the inclusion of one or more wrinkle reducing ingredients in a liquid fabric softening product. The benefits are delivered to the laundered item during the rinse step of the laundry cycle (when the fabric softener is typically added) and, therefore, reduces the need for further wrinkle reducing steps when the items are taken from the dryer or after hang drying. The present application also relates to the inclusion of one or more wrinkle reducing ingredients in dryer sheets.
The ingredients that facilitate the benefit of wrinkle reduction are believed to lubricate fiber surfaces. By lubricating the fiber surfaces of garments, for example, the fibers slide more easily relative to each other and are less likely to entangle, resulting in less wrinkles. The preferred fiber lubricants disclosed herein have been shown to noticeably reduce the number of wrinkles. The preferred embodiments also overcome one or more of the above noted disadvantages of prior wrinkle reducing agents or methods.
LIQUID FABRIC SOFTENER FORMULATIONS
Several molecules have been identified for wrinkle reduction benefits when included in known liquid fabric softener formulations. Using the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) method #124 (described in greater detail, below), the following molecular classes were found to reduce the number of wrinkles on test cloths: ethoxylated organosilicones; polyalkyleneoxide modified polydimethylsiloxane: linear aminopolydimethylsiloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymers; sulfated/sulfonated vegetable oils; high molecular weight polyacrylamides; betaine siloxane copolymers: and alkylactam siloxane coplymers. Of the foregoing, the most preferred wrinkle reducing agent is a linear aminopolydimethylsiloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer sold under the name Magnasoft SRS, available from Witco, Greenwich, Conn. Silsoft A-843, another aminopolydimethylsiloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer available from Witco, is also a particularly preferred wrinkle reducing agent. Another preferred class of wrinkle reduction compounds are sulfated castor oils sold, for example, under the tradename Freedom SCO-75, available from Freedom chemical Co., Charlotte, N.C.
One or more of the molecules/compounds from the above-identified classes are preferably included in known fabric softener formulations in an amount from about 0.1 to about 10 wt %, about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, about 0.3 to about 1.5 wt % and, most preferably, from about 0.3 wt % to about 5 wt %. Suitable liquid fabric softener formulations are described, for example. in U.S. Pat. Nos.: RE 34,062 (Wells); U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,417 (Bauer et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,499 (Kiefer et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,671 (Bauer et al); U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,736 (Trinh et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,350 (Baker et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,849 (Wahl et al.), all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Should read: Such suitable formulations include 8% to 80% of a cationic fabric conditioning agent.
An additional advantage of the above-identified wrinkle reducing ingredients is that the molecules/compounds do not have a net positive charge in a neutral or alkaline medium, i.e. a medium having a pH greater than or equal to about 6.5. Lack of a net positive charge reduces the likelihood that precipitates will result when the above-identified wrinkle reducing ingredients come in contact liquid detergents containing anionic surfactants, such as in the rinse cycle of the laundering process. More specifically, they are less likely to precipitate with negatively charged surfactants.